Adam Yauch staged final Beastie Boys recording before death

Late rapper Adam Yauch was worried his cancer fight would affect his ability to record with the Beastie Boys – so gathered his bandmates together for one final studio session last year.

The rapper, known as MCA, underwent treatment after doctors discovered a tumor in his salivary gland in 2009, but he died earlier this month at the age of 47.

Yauch called his bandmates into the studio for the final time late last year, but fellow Beastie Boys star Mike D – real name Michael Diamond – reveals his friend had doubts about his ability to perform.

Diamond tells Rolling Stone, “Adam instigated it. It could only come from him, in terms of where he was at with treatment. It was stuff we had written or demoed, and there were new ideas. He wasn’t sure he was able to do vocals. But after a bit, we ended up doing them. And he was fine. It was a way for him to say, ‘Yeah, I’m doing it.'”

On the future of the band following Yauch’s death, the star adds, “I can see (the band) making music. I don’t know about a band format. But Yauch would genuinely want us to try whatever crazy thing we wanted but never got around to.”